Portable body-mounted desk



United States Patent Luis A. Rozas Apartado 433, Cuzco, Peru 740,669

June 27, 1968 Nov. 24, 1970 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented PORTABLE BODY-MOUNTED DESK 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl. A47b 17/00 Field of Search 224/5, 5.3,

so lo [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 817,596 4/1906 Siebenthal 108/48 2,685,757 8/1954 Mirigian u 224/5X 2,861,854 1l/l958 Best 224/5UX Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner Frank E. Werner AttorneyClarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet Fig 4 5 0 2 Z R. m r m m M 6 e 0 A 8 7 W 9 Il n m I. a i a i W W i n m 4 "u i w 7- a m m V 6 J U 8 6 6 L W m E m n F 1 .n T 4 m w m 4 8 2 6 2 M "(CW/2 0 1% u x a o 0 v a ll J 0 8 2 a 5 M 5 5 a w n m 1 PORTABLE BODY-MOUNTED DESK" The present invention relates to a portable'body-mounted desk that has a high degree of adjustability and simplicity that has not heretofore been known-in the field of body-mounted desks. The adjustability is brought'about by the work surface being pivotally mounted onfthe'body-mounted supportand the pivot point being vertically adjustable on the support. There is also an adjustable length support leg attached between the body support and the work surface to permitthe angle and height of the work surface to be fixed. In addition to the versatility of adjustment the work surface'can be folded. 7

flat against the'support so that a person can perform other duties between the periods when it is desiredto use the desk.

It is, therefore. an object of this invention to provide a portable desk that is body-mounted for stability.

It is a further object-of this invention toprovidc a portable body-mounted desk that has vertical and angular adjustability.

, It is a further object of this invention to providea portable body-mounted desk that can fold flat to permitthe wearer to perform other duties without. removal of the-desk;

It is a still further objectof the invention to provide-an'adjustable bodymounted desk whose unique but simple construction allows economical production;

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in-the detailsof con-' struction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of'the desk'in an operative position.

FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the desk in its retracted position.

FIG. 3 is a' rear perspective view of the device in the position. of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the device taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. I.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is'a sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 adjustable neck encircling-strap l8,with"buckle 19 thereon,

attached to the upper edge thereof and anadjustablewaist strap 20, with buckle Z1 thereon, attached to the opposite side edges. The straps l8 and} 20' are fixed at' one end 22 and 24,"

respectively, and detachably connected'by'the-use of hook assemblies at the other ends 26' 'and '28, respectively, to permit ease of donning the device. The straps l8 and 20are easily adjusted by the buckles 19 and.2I;-respectively..to accom-,.

modate any size person. The front face of supportplate 16 has inwardly facing U-shaped tracks 30, 30' mounted parallel to each other along the side edges thereof to .slidably mount block 32 therebetween. A screw 34, with an enlarged head 36 is threadedly engaged with an openingthrough the/block 32 and bears against a metal strip 38 mounted onthe surface of plate 16, to hold the block in anypositio'n alOflS'the tracks 30,

30. Attached to the lower edge of block 32 isan abutment or mount 40 on which is mounted a hinge 42 that mounts the work surface assembly 14 to thesupport assembly I2. The abutment is of sufficient height so that the work surface 44 can lay on top of head 36in a'plane parallel to the support plate I6 when in folded or collapsed position. A further abutment 46 is mounted atop of plate 16 and is sufficient in height to maintain the work surface 44zin the aforementioned plane parallel to plate I6.

A support leg assembly 48, maintains thework surface 44 at any angle of adjustment relative to the'support-plate 16' The leg comprises a tube 50 and'a rod 52 slidable thereinto; The tube is pivotally mounted at 54" to abutment 56*on plate 16. The rod is similarly pivoted at 58 to abutment 60-on work surface 44; A collar 64 is threaded onto tube 50 to slidingly receive the rod 52 therethrough, and to provide a threaded opening for the locking screw 66.The screw 66 thus projects through collar 64 and tube 50 to releasably engage rod 52 and tube 50 and fix them relative to one another. The screw 66 has a pin 68 depending from the underside ofthe knurled head thereof to be engaged by collar 70 which slides along tube 50. The screw 66 cuntherebybe prevented from loosening, by engagement of pin 68--with' the collar extension 71, with a resultant drop of the work'surface. The end of tube 50iandrod 52'are mounted on the abutment 56and 60-. respectively, to permit the work surfaceto fold upwardly into a plane parallel to support 16', as mentioned hereinbefore.

A paper holder. a clamp172, consists ofa crosspiece 74 with U-shapedends 76 that engagethe edgeof work surface 44 in sliding engagement therewith. .Antifriction pads 78' placed between crosspiece 74 and work surface 44 permits'smooth slidingtherebetween. On theback of the ends 76and attached thereto are bow-shaped leaf springs 80..The spri'ngs80 maintain the crosspiece 74in firm contact with surface'44on the pads 78JJournaled-for pivotal movement on the ends-76 is a U shaped paper bar 82 with rollers 84 thereon. Coil springs86 are attached at each end of the crosspiece with one end thereof attached near leaf springs and at the other end on bar 82 well above its journal point on end 76. Thus the bar 82 will be resiliently urged against the worksurface 44 whether it be in a position above the crosspiece when not in use, seeFlG. 4, or in a position below the crosspiece 74, whenin use.

' To utilize the desk, theuser puts the strap 18 around his" neck and strap.20 around his waist adjusting the straps to firmly mount support plate 16 against his body. The screws 66 and 36 are then loosened and the work surface is pivoted out of its stored position, shown in FIGS} and'9, to a desirable working position, such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. When i the desired position is achieved the screw-36 is tightened to .fix the pivot point between support plate I6 and work surface 44, and screw 66 is tightened, collar 70 moved in position to prevent loosening ofleg 48.-

The -portable desk as described herein can find utility for students, laboratoryor research workers, soldiers, artists or ,anyone needing a firmwork surface when atable or desk is not convenient. The simplicity of construction and the full adjustability as provided thereby, allow thedesk to adapt to any size person or any angle or height orientation relative to the user's body.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles; of the invention-Further, since numerous modifications and changes-will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable I modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scopeof the invention as claimed.

I claim:.

I. A portablebody-mounted desk comprising an upstanding support panel including from and rear sides and being adapted said table panel projecting outwardly from the front side of said support panel and a collapsed position with the free edge portion of said table panel swung upwardly and said table panel closely overlying the front face of said support panel. and an elongated adjustable length support leg assembly having one end thereof pivotally secured to the underside of said table panel at a point spaced outwardly from said horizontal axis and the other end thereof pivotally supported from said support panel outwardly from the front side thereof and below said horizontal axis said support leg assembly being extendable to an effective length sufficient to extend from said other end thereof to said point when said table panel is in its collapsed position, said support leg assembly including means operative to secure said leg assembly in adjusted extended position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said table panel includes a paper holder slidably supported therefrom for adjustable movement along said table panel toward and away from said axis, said paper holder including a pivoted spring urged bail provided with rollers journaled therefrom for rotation about axes generally paralleling said axis and biased into rolling contact with the upper surface of said table panel.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support panel includes an elongated upstanding forwardly facing center portion thereof defining a wear surface. the first mentioned means comprising a setscrew threadedly secured through said mount and abuttingly engaged with said wear surface.

4.The combination of claim I wherein said support panel includes means defining upstanding parallel channels opening toward each other and in which the opposite side edge portions of said mount for slidingly received.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said support panel includes an elongated upstanding forwardly facing center portion thereof defining a .wear surface, the first mentioned means comprising a setscrew threadedly secured through said mount and abuttingly engaged with said wear surface, said table panel, when in said collapsed position, overlying said setscrew and generally paralleling said support panel. 

